Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Taytay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Taytay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $731 in Taytay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,107 in Taytay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,483 in Taytay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% more than Taytay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taytay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Taytay 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.67 ₱294

148.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$18.91 ₱1,188

149.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.26 ₱205

264.42%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.47 ₱155

61.13%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.81 ₱51.2

76.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.47 ₱29.43

74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.16 ₱73.0

175.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.55 ₱97.3

338.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.61 ₱101

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.10 ₱69.2

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.03 ₱64.5

66.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.03 ₱127

34.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.13 ₱322

86.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.47 ₱218

159.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.71 ₱422

90.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.32 ₱146

24.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.58 ₱99.5

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.32 ₱146

-7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.04 ₱65.3

117.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.74 ₱109

13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.73 ₱109

15.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.66 ₱41.68

86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.53 ₱33.60

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.91 ₱183

56.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.53 ₱536

21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.97 ₱60.8

67.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.00 ₱126

44.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.25 ₱15.96

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$12.56 ₱789

129.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.83 ₱52.1

549.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.23 ₱14.46

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.88 ₱118

206.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.14 ₱71.5

35.09%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.7K ₱1.4M

4.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

34.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.4 MX$1,573

$122 ₱7,673

-25.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.20 MX$434

$15.08 ₱948

67.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$23.76 ₱1,493

31.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$27.16 ₱1,706

147.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$4.91 ₱308

492.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.23 ₱328

-7.07%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$224 MX$3,851

$135 ₱8,478

65.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$8,812 ₱553.6K

-52.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$29.10 ₱1,828

61.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.13 ₱1,202

131.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$71.6 ₱4,497

11.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$56.1 ₱3,525

65.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$241 ₱15.1K

341.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$187 ₱11.7K

108.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$433 ₱27.2K

395.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$390 ₱24.5K

226.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,427 ₱152.5K

64.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$996 ₱62.5K

553.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Taytay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 in Taytay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Taytay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $171 – making Taytay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Taytay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,096 in Taytay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taytay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $731 in Taytay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 129% less in Taytay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Taytay, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Taytay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taytay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Taytay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.